Guest Greeting Practices in Indian Hospitality: A Psychological Perspective – A Systematic Review

Guest greeting in India reflects psychologically important cultural practices of respect, reciprocity, and social harmony. Traditional greetings, such as folded-hand gestures, verbal welcome, and hospitality rituals, do not operate simply as social etiquette but as psychological mechanisms of interpersonal governance. This article focuses on the insights of the social psychology, cultural anthropology, and intercultural communication to examine the psychological bases and social functions of guest greeting behaviours in the Indian context. The review sums up how shared cultural scripts, nonverbal communication, and collectivist orientations create an environment of trust, reduce social uncertainty, and foster relational bonds. The variation in greeting styles across regions, religions, and social hierarchies is reviewed, revealing cultural diversity with psychological underlying unity. The findings suggest that Indian guest greeting practices underpin identity affirmation, emotional comfort, and maintenance of social order. Integrating psychological theories of social interaction with culturally imbedded practices, this article posits the centrality of greeting behaviour as an important means of improving intercultural understanding, hospitality management, and social cohesion in a relentlessly globalizing society.